The Houston energy sector is booming and the need for talent is growing, but companies are only hurting themselves by getting into bidding wars for personnel, said Brett Haugh, Ascende principal and executive vice president.

The so-called "crew change" of retiring oil and gas talent is "extremely real," Haugh said, with about 50 percent turnover expected within 10 years mostly because of retirements. Since 2010, though, energy sector hiring is up 25 percent nationally compared to 7 percent for the overall private sector. Wages are up higher in the energy sector, as well, he said.

Ascende is a Houston-based human capital and employee benefits consulting firm. As such, the company is focused on helping Houston energy companies manage their strategies and draw top talent without breaking the bank.

"We've got to be able to balance benefits and wages," Haugh said. "We cannot continue to steal from one another and increase their wages by 15 to 20 percent. … That is not a long-term solution."

The shale boom is continuing, pipelines need to be built, oil and gas technology is rapidly evolving, and the nation's electric grid is in dire need of modernization, he said. All of these aspects require a lot more skilled workers, engineers and more.

"These folks are a hot commodity," Haugh said. "You have to realize your business cannot operate if it's lacking these infrastructure support groups."

Three years ago companies could afford to be "persnickety" and hire just the top-notch mechanical engineers, Haugh said. Today "any kind of engineer — period" — must be considered an asset, he said. "There's a finite number of them coming out of college."

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